Respiratory System Overview

Breathing Process

• Enjoying a sunny day; deep breath through mouth and nose.
• Both pathways lead air to the back of the throat, uniting before going down the trachea.

Anatomy of the Voice Box

• Adam's Apple (Voice Box):
  • Present in everyone (not just men).
  • Helps to control voice pitch and volume through muscle adjustment.
  • Entryway to the trachea.
• Feel the Adam's apple to locate it (look for the notch).

Journey of Air into the Lungs

• Air travels down the trachea to the lungs:
  • Left Lung:
    • 2 lobes (Upper and Lower).
    • Contains the Cardiac Notch for the heart.
  • Right Lung:
    • 3 lobes (Upper, Middle, Lower).
• The heart creates space as it "peeks out" into the lung area.

Thoracic Cavity

• Surrounded by ribs and rib muscles.
• Diaphragm:
  • Large muscle that forms the floor of the thorax, below the lungs and heart.
• The thorax can be envisioned as a room containing the heart and lungs.

Structure of Lungs

• Lungs resemble a flipped upside-down tree, known as the Bronchial Tree.
  • Main trunk: Trachea.
  • Branching structure serves different lobes:
    • Green region: Lower lobe (left).
    • Purple region: Upper lobe (left).
    • Right lung contains branches for upper, middle, and lower lobes.

Microscopic Structure

• Air travels through branches until it reaches Alveoli:
  • Tiny sacs at the end of the bronchial tree.
  • Allows gas exchange:
    • Oxygen enters the blood.
    • Carbon dioxide waste from blood enters the alveoli to be exhaled.

Summary of Breathing Mechanics

• Air enters through the mouth or nose, travels to the alveoli, exchanges gases with blood, and then is exhaled.